‘They’re not going to shut me up’: Wasaga council defends staffer against corruption allegations

The Town of Wasaga Beach has taken the dramatic step of defending its top staffer against suggestions of corruption.

Council emerged from a 30-minute behind-closed-door session at its Nov. 25 meeting to issue a lengthy and vigorous defence of chief administrative officer George Vadeboncoeur against what it says are false allegations levelled at him by resident Giorgio Mammoliti.

Citing the need to protect the CAO’s “long-established reputation as a dedicated and professional civil servant,” the referred to comments Mammoliti has made online and in the community as “false, malicious, and vile.

“The town has a responsibility to defend itself when people make false allegations of corruption about the town and town employees, as such statements are harmful to the town and the reputation of its staff,” read the statement issued after council passed a motion in support of the CAO. “Our community is a place where people should be able to live and work without fear of having their character or conduct attacked through falsehoods.”

Vadeboncoeur declined to make comment.

Mammoliti, a former City of Toronto councillor who has maintained a residence in Wasaga Beach for several years, has self-styled himself as the Wasaga Beach Advocate,.

He has hosted several community meetings regarding municipal issues, such as council’s decision to go ahead with a $60-million twin pad and arena project.

He has also questioned whether it is appropriate for Vadeboncoeur to be both CAO, and a municipal councillor with the Town of Penetanguishene.

He was elected in 2018, during a period in which he had ostensibly retired as CAO for Wasaga Beach earlier in the year. He was reappointed as CAO six weeks after the election.

While he has a video on his Youtube channel titled ‘CAO Corruption in Wasaga Beach’, Mammoliti denied he has called Vadeboncoeur corrupt.

However, he did defend asking the question of whether Vadeboncoeur’s dual role as a CAO of one municipality and a municipal councillor in a neighbouring town represented a conflict.

“I don’t know if there’s a conflict; maybe he has, maybe he hasn’t declared conflicts on it,” Mammoliti said. “Municipalities struggle and compete to get transfer payments from other levels of government, so it could put him, at times, in a very difficult position.

“If I’m wrong about that, if I’m wrong about his dual roles, then I’ve been misinformed and would definitely apologize for that — but I don’t think I am wrong.”

There is nothing legislatively preventing Vadeboncoeur from holding both positions.

Mammoliti added he has raised the issue of “the potential for corruption” with regard to his view the council was making decisions with little opportunity for public input.

Mammoliti also posted videos calling for a forensic audit of town hall’s books.

When asked if he had evidence of corruption, Mammoliti maintained he had never pointed to anyone being corrupt.

“They’re not going to shut me up, if that’s what they’re thinking, and I’m not about to sit and roll over and say ‘mea culpa, mea culpa’ — I’m not going to do that,” Mammoliti said.